Virgin America and Virgin Australia are planning to commence codeshare operations.
The airlines have applied to the US Department of Transport for permission to place the Virgin Australia code on Virgin America’s services from Los Angeles to Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Philadelphia, Portland, Seattle and Washington DC. The move is intended to build on the existing cooperation between the two carriers, following an interline agreement signed in 2009 and a frequent flyer partnership sealed earlier this year.
“The United States is a very important market for Australia; it is the third most popular international destination for Australian visitors and our fourth biggest source of overseas visitors to Australia,” said Virgin Australia’s Group Executive of Alliances, Network & Yield, Merren McArthur. “Today’s announcement means Virgin Australia guests can connect seamlessly to key leisure and business hubs and earn frequent flyer points and status credits in the process.”
Under the codeshare, passengers travelling to Los Angeles on Virgin Australia’s trans-Pacific services will be able to transfer to Virgin America’s domestic flights without the need to check-in twice or re-clear security. The two airlines will also transfer baggage between connecting flights.
Diana Walke, Virgin America’s Vice President of Planning & Sales said the partnership would be “welcomed by travellers on both sides of the Pacific”.
